Lonely Remembrance
by hallyu
Summary: A powerful miko, team seven and lonely remembrance.


Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by Kishimoto-sama. Not me.

A/N: I haven't updated and this is a new, revised chapter. I just realized, upon revisiting my medaminer account that these stories suck. So I might as well revise those who love this kinda stuff. But vote for Sas/Kag or Itachi/Kagome or Naru/Kagome.

Haruno Sakura looked over at Sasuke. He sat, slumped under the tree, the leaves casting a mysterious pattern on him. She sighed. What could she do when Sasuke was like this?

Sasuke brooded silently and watched the clouds drift by, slowly and barely noticeable. _At this rate, I'll never get strong enough to avenge my clan's death by killing Itachi. I'm just weak!_

He had been having weird nightmares, about Itachi and of the massacre. He remembered everything. The blood, the people, and Itachi. He could feel the blood, slimy and wet as he stumbled back upon entering the Uchiha compound after a long day's training. He could see the people, their unseeing eyes wide with terror as they lay on the cold ground, arms outstretched and mouths agape. Most of all, he could see Itachi, standing and taunting him, taunting him.

He clenched his fists angrily and continued to stare up at the sky. Sometimes he wondered if he was the only one left. The only Uchiha left.

Sure he wanted to kill his brother by himself, but he wanted as much training as he could get to be as strong as he could be. He hoped another Uchiha besides Itachi was out there looking for an Uchiha themselves.

Sakura sighed as she saw him clench his fists. "What's wrong kura-chan?" Sakura looked up, startled, to see Naruto looking up at her, his head cocked slightly. "I worry about Sasuke-kun," she sighed, "He's been so distant and I can't help but wonder, what's going on inside his head? Is he alright?"

Naruto and Sakura had become good friends over the many months that had passed by with them as a team. Sakura still loved Sasuke, but she was slowly getting over her crush on him and turning to Naruto. While Naruto's and Sasuke's relationship had been declining, especially with the fact that Naruto had brought him back from the darkness little over a year ago.

The blond sighed in exasperation, "What are you talking about? He's always like that, I think he acts like that because he thinks it's cool." Sakura shot him a glare and he shrugged slightly, "You can always just ask him what's wrong," He suggested.

"No way! That's just wrong!" whispered Sakura loudly, "I can't do that!"

"Why not?" "It's wrong to evade on his privacy. He just needs to be with himself. Besides…" Sakura trailed off and turned her gaze towards the ground, "He wouldn't tell me anything."

Naruto watched sadly at his friend's obvious unhappiness and suddenly, he clenched his fists and stood up. Stomping toward the raven haired recluse and ignoring his friend's devastated cries and pleas to stop, he turned to Sasuke and yelled, "What is wrong with you?"

Sasuke glared back coldly, "I could say the same to you."

Unfortunately, Naruto had very little control over his emotions, unlike Sasuke. "Shut up!"

"Don't you see Sakura worrying for you? Even I'm wondering what has gotten into you?" Naruto paused to catch his breath, and then went on furiously. "We care Sasuke! You can tell us and we'll understand!"

Thick tension weighed them down until Sakura broke the silence with a whisper. Sakura looked towards them, "Guys, Kakashi-sensei is here."

"I don't see why we have to practice outside the village again!" Naruto bellowed as team Seven walked quietly in the forest.

Sakura glared at the blond. "Do you always have to yell? The whole village doesn't need to know!"

"Do you always have to nag?" Naruto shot back, clearly angry at Sakura, even if he liked her.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and told them in a clear voice, "You guys are bickering like an old couple."

Naruto spun around and hissed angrily, "As if! You're just jealous!"

Sasuke snorted, "Jealous of what?"

Naruto bared his fangs and bowled Sasuke over. Fortunately, Sasuke moved in time and Naruto landed on the ground.

Kakashi shook his head sadly and retuned to reading Icha Icha Paradise. "Itai!" Naruto rubbed his head angrily. "That hurt!"

"It was supposed to, dobe!"

"Why you!" Naruto lunged once again and Sasuke dodged neatly before sweeping his legs out from under him with one graceful movement.

Naruto stumbled back and fell onto the forest ground, his fall cushioned by the decomposing leaves that blanketed the forest floor.

Sasuke glared at Naruto, his eyes flickering from opaque to the blood crimson of their clan's bloodline. He swiftly pulled a kunai from the holster strapped to his leg and took up a ready stance, watching the jinchuuriki was narrowed eyes.

Naruto growled feraly and lunged once more, pulling out a shuriken and launching it with one movement. Sasuke neatly step sided the dangerously edged object and ducked under Naruto's powerful midair kick. Sasuke made move to stab Naruto but at that moment, Kakashi made way to stop the two. And so did she.

In one neat movement, she managed to snatch Sasuke's kunai and gracefully holding the fighting pair apart from one another by the scruff of their necks.

Naruto tried to wiggle free, but she further tightened her grip on his eye-sore orange jacket while Sasuke swore angrily under his breath. Sakura stood, poised in the perfect picture of horror and Kakashi, who had slipped his porn into his kunai holster, stood in a battle stance, ready to fight against the perpetrator.

Sasuke took the time to mumble one more curse under his breath before studying her.

She looked about fourteen, their own age, with silky, raven-black hair tied up in a loose ponytail. Her sparkling blue eyes had an indescribable sense to them and the deep blue was flecked with silver. She wore a dark cloak that draped her figure, with silver designs of mystic swirls and other designs that entranced him.

Her melodious voice shook him out of his trance, "You really shouldn't be fighting with your teammates, you know?"

It seemed that Naruto had calmed down some while Sasuke was examining the girl's appearance and he murmured uncharacteristically, "Why do you care?"

The girl seemed a bit surprised to hear that, but she smiled sadly and said softly, "Because teammates are on your team for a reason and that reason is not to fight with you. It's to make sure you stay alive."

"Yea…" Naruto trailed off uncertainly. The girl smiled softly at the jinchuuriki before loosening her grip on their clothes and pulling away. After several moments of uneasy silence, Kakashi finally asked, "Who are you?"

"Oh!" the girl blinked, "I completely forgot about introductions! Well, my name is Higurashi Kagome. It's nice to meet you."

Kakashi gasped softly, eye wide with shock," Likewise, Kagome-sama, Likewise. And I am Hatake Kakashi."

The tension that had been strung in the air just moments ago disappeared and the shinobi team relaxed subconsciously, watching Kagome. Why, team seven wondered, did Kakashi-sensei treat the girl with such respect?

"Please," She smiled warmly, "I'm only fourteen, no honorifics. It just makes me feel old."

"Of course, Kagome," he murmured, bowing deeply, "Of course."

She rolled her eyes, and sighed at his insistent bowing. Would they ever stop that?

"Ano…Konnichiwa Kagome-chan," Sakura murmured hesitantly. "My name is Haruno Sakura. It's nice to meet you too."

Kagome turned to Sakura and smiled gently, "Kagome-chan is fine, as long as I can call you Sakura-chan, okay?"

"Hai," Sakura grinned and turned to point at the broody boy, "That's Uchiha Sasuke. And that," she pointed at the surprisingly quiet boy, "is Uzumaki Naruto."

Kagome looked at the pair and blinked innocently when Naruto flinched under her gaze. Why was he so nervous? She watched him nervously fiddle with the worn cuff of his orange jacket and realized that there was a concentrated pool of youkai at the boy's stomach. Why hadn't she noticed before? He was yet another jinchuuriki and the youkai sealed inside of him must have told him about her being a powerful miko that could purify them both to oblivion.

Stepping towards that boy, she watched him cower under her gaze and she sighed, rubbing her temples before murmuring softly so only the two of them could hear the conversation, "I'm not gonna hurt you because of your youkai, Naruto-kun. Only if that youkai goes rampant and wrecks destruction and havoc once again, will I do something like that, and because of the complicated seal designs, I really doubt that I will have to do anything."

Naruto eyed her suspiciously before asking, "Will you promise?"

"Yes Naruto, I promise on my miko honor."

He blinked at her and then smiled, the smile stretching across his face, "Well then, as Sakura-chan said, I'm Naruto. And I'm gonna be the Hokage! Believe it!"

"Okay," she smiled sweetly, "You become the greatest Hokage ever, okay?"

Naruto watched her in disbelief, "Do you actually think I'll make it?"

She tipped her head adorably to one side, "Do you?"

He blinked and lowered him eyes towards the ground, his sky blue orbs flashing with pain and loneliness, "I don't know." Something in this girl brought out the truth in him. It brought out his unmasked side and real smiles.

"Do you want to protect the people of Konoha? Those who have mistreated you even when you were but a crying baby?"

"No, no I don't." He drew his shinobi sandal across the dirt sadly, " But you know, everyone deserves a second chance."

"Yes," Kagome murmured, her smile soft and full of melancholy, "Everyone does deserve a second chance."

TBC

Like it?

Review!


End file.
